Jackunzel Week 2013!
by JustADreamAway735
Summary: Hey guys, just thought I'd celebrate the first annual Jackunzel Week with you guys! Happy shipping! :)
1. Chapter 1

Day 1

"Mama, Papa," Rapunzel piqued from the opposite side of the dining table.

Her parents both looked up from their quiet conversation at the other end, surprised that their usually meek daughter chose to break the blanketed hush in their town house. Her mother was the first to speak," Yes dear?"

Twisting the strands that did not stay in her prim bun, Rapunzel mentioned softly,"Oh, well it's been quite a while since I've been outside or visited anybody, and, as I am already let out in society, I was wondering-"

"Speak up, please, Rapunzel. The table is far too long I fear, and we cannot hear but a whisper from you."

Under her breath, she remarked,"Well, if we didn't have a thirty foot table, maybe you'd hear me."

"What was that, dear?"

"Nothing, nothing!" she replied hastily. This time, much stronger earlier, Rapunzel stated,"Would it be alright if I visit Lord and Lady Rider today? I haven't been able to see them in such a long time, and I miss them _so_ very much. Please?"

Her parents mused over this. True, they did not like the idea of her being exposed to such negative outside influences, but then again she _would_ be with their close friends. That, and Rapunzel had been looking unbecomingly sullen lately, not to mention that she would be with the Rider's dashing son Flynn. Finally after a few minutes, they came to a conclusion: it would be alright for her to visit.

"Thank you, thank you very much Mama, Papa. I'll be ready to go in just a bit!" She flew up the to her room without even receiving a 'your welcome'.

Her parents shook their heads, inbetween 'bemused' and 'bewildered'. With a perplexed smile, her father said,"What a strange child we have Elena. A lovely, wonderfully obedient child, but a strange one nonetheless."

Exactly one hour after that conversation, Rapunzel stood alone in the hallway with Flynn, the Lord and Lady giving them some privacy after exchanging polite formalities with her. Craning her neck around the corner, Rapunzel checked to make sure that his parents were gone, asked rather stiffly,"So Flynn. How are your studies coming along? I hear that economics are tough courses to learn the intricacies of."

With an equal amount of robotics, Flynn replied,"Oh, do not flatter me, my dear Rapunzel. It is coming along very well, thank you for asking. Also-"

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"They're gone."

Flynn slumped his shoulders, a relieved sigh escaping his lungs. "And thank GOD for that, too. I swear, if somebody brings up my studies one more time, I'm pretty sure I'm going to go insane."

"Aren't you already?" a coy smile played on her lips. He simply slugged her arm, to which she cried,"Ow, what was that for?!"

"Nothing, just the older-brother-figure instinct kicking in. Anyways, I'm gonna head out to town." A wicked smile shocked his face as he revealed the raggedy street clothes hidden underneath a velvet trench coat. Before he snuck out through the exit, he whispered to her, "By the way, he's waiting in the garden."

As Flynn carefully closed the ornate door, Rapunzel dashed through the kitchen, down the rickety wooden steps, and though the enormous gazebo, until finally she came face-to-face with a the infamous 'Riders' flower maze'. Ah yes, many scathing rumors and wild scandals had been reported and immortalized in the short century in which it had stood.

Rapunzel smiled and dove right in.

There was no worry about becoming lost in the daunting labyrinth; she had long since memorized all of the curves and twists that had been built in the interior, especially with whom she explored it with. Three rights and one left later, Rapunzel had reached the place- or rather the person-which was smirking at her.

"Not your best time, Punzie," the man drawled at her. "I'm beginning to think that maybe you're starting to like Flynn better than me."

She scoffed. "Oh, puh-_lease_. He's practically my brother. Besides, he told me he's going to leave soon, start a new life for himself. And if I somehow liked him, where would that leave you, anyways?"

"Heartbroken. Devastated. Hopeless. Broken beyond repair! The list goes on and on, Rapunzel! On and On and On!" With a dramatic swoop of his hand to his forehead, he collapsed unto the grassy floor. "Oh, woe is me! Only the kiss of a fair maiden can heal me now!"

Rapunzel smirked and, demurely sitting on the floor beside him, remarked,"See, I _honestly_ would have kissed you, but that line was just far to cliche for my tastes, good sir."

"Just come here, you."

And she did.

Twenty minutes later, a disheveled-looking Rapunzel and her lover cuddled on the ground, dazedly gazing at the sky. A dreamy grin on her lips, she placed a small, deliberate peck under his jaw. "I missed you Jack. Every day for the whole month."

Jack pulled her closer. He remarked sadly, "I missed you too Rapunzel. At least it wasn't a two month gap like last time."

Rapunzel heaved a great sigh and nudged herself closer to him. Why was it fair to marry a stranger where love counted for naught? Why couldn't she be free like every other person who passed by underneath her windowpane each day? Why was it so wrong in their eyes to even think about being with Jack? Everything about it was absolutely, frustratingly confusing to her...

Jack shushed Rapunzel and ran his finger underneath her eyes to catch a falling tear. "I know it's not fair, Rapunzel, I hate it as much as you do! I guess this is just what life is like for a stable boy and noble's daughter. But you know what?" He gently lifted her chin to look up at him.

"What?"

"It makes our meetings that much better, I think." Jack captured her carnation lips with his own, and laid with her in the flower garden for the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

_AN:...all I can say, is have a great week you guys ^^_


	2. Day 2-Legend

Day 2

Jamie Bennet loved stories, and that was no exaggeration. Really, if he could marry stories when he was older instead of girls, he would do it in a heartbeat. The stories he listened to before bed, the ones his mom read to him from her great-great-great-great-times a gazillion grandpa's book, caught his heart and mind for a whole ten minutes and brought him to all sorts of places full of adventure and mystery. In those minutes, Jamie could pretend to be a knight on a quest, or a prince fighting a dragon, or even an explorer looking for the Fountain of Youth! The possibilities were endless!

His favorite story by far, though, was the very last one in the book, as seen as the extra wear-and-tear given to the pages over the years. That night, as he settled down in his bed, Jamie listened attentively for his mom to start.

"Jamie," his mother asked as she tucked him in, "Are you sure you want to hear that story again? You've heard it probably a hundred times already!"

He nodded vigorously, sure that it was his choice. "It's my favorite! The guy who's the main character is so cool! Please, please mom!"

"Alright, as you wish," she conceded. Even as she began, wonderment bursted with every word she spoke.

"It started with the sun.

Once upon a time, the sun had accidentally bestowed a single drop of its fiery liquid to Earth. From that single drop emerged an incandescent flower, which then opened its blossoms to reveal the most radiant, beautiful spirit that caused even Aphrodite to be green with envy. Her name, which took after the very flower from which she emerged, was Rapunzel.

The spirits had a court session to try and somehow figure out what to do with this strange girl, and, for reasons our human minds cannot comprehend, decided that she was to be the Guardian of the Sun. From then on, everybody had expected life to continue as smoothly as before, and for a time it had. Too bad nobody could have foreseen the trouble that would break everything apart.

A morning that began much like the ones before it, Rapunzel had lifted the bright sun into the sky and set it into motion around the world. Once it had been set in the sky, she wandered around her forest domain, conversing politely with the wood sprites or small animals she let live with her. As she chattered with a a trio of chipmunks, Rapunzel no idea that in the nearby shadows a figure was watching her intensely. Now, there's no need to worry for our heroine's safety, as this figure was hardly malevolent, if only a little bit tricky; his name was Jack, and he was the Guardian of the Moon. If we rewound time a few minutes back, we would have seen Jack finishing up his nightly duties and deciding to stroll in that tuft of forest a few ways over. As Jack hopped from log to log, he would have found the forest quite boring, had a musical laughter not chimed a stone's throw away.

"What the-," he proclaimed, and slowly hovered over to the source of giggling. Thinking that the laughter was simply caused by playful fairies, nothing had prepared him for the shock of seeing the most beautiful creature in his life. Her sparkling jade gems and agape amaranth mouth filled with much surprise as he came into sight. She gently put down her animal friends and lightly strode over to him, curling and uncurling her champagne locks around her finger. Very gradually did her lips close and form into a sweet smile, one that he, uncharacteristically, returned. Jack was awestruck at this creature.

She, too, was amazed by him. Never before that day did Rapunzel see a man her age, nor as handsome as the one standing before her. Bedroom eyes that practically burned with wintry blue contrasted with icy-white skin and greeted her with several blinks. She took on every detail, from his askew hair right down to the strong, broadened shoulders that slumped against the tree. Quite simply, he was beautiful.

Needless to say, they hit it off _real_ quick. Throughout the summer, the pair galavanted across the entire universe without any care in the world besides each other. Days were spent swimming or taking walks along empty country roads, while afternoons and nights found them mingling around glowing city nightlife with the humans. Anyone who saw the couple could see a (sometimes literal) glow around them and knew how strong the love between them was. The months passed by blissfully, and by summers end the Guardians could think of nothing but their future together.

Unfortunately, their love had come entailed with consequences; while they played house, their duties to being Guardians had been forgotten, and the humans were plagued with matters beyond their control. Because of their forgetfulness, the sun and moon appeared sporadically on earth, and thus crops had either sprouted late or withered away, famines would not cease, and sleep was a rare occurrence. Emaciated churchgoers throwing themselves at the foot of altars wasn't uncommon, shouts constantly crying to the spirits to heal them of their troubles. All hope seemed to be drained in life.

Finally, the god of all gods Dominarch had decided to put his foot down on the matter. His bass voice bellowed,"That is enough! Bring me the Guardians of the Sun and Moon at once!"

As the two Guardians had virtually disappeared those months, everyone was shocked to see upon their arrival a relationship fully blossomed. This knowledge distressed Dominarch greatly-a giant wrench in his plans. Of course he did not want to call the end of their love, he wasn't that cruel! However, it had to be done, or else the fate of the humans would be decimated. After declaring what he needed-along with ominous threats, tears, and piercing shrieks from both parties-Rapunzel and Jack gave in to demands, knowing their sacrifice was for the good of the universe. The other gods and spirits left the scene soon after so as to give the sobbing couple privacy to talk before being separated forever. The vow, it seemed, was to be broken.

However, another blessing was to come their way. Unbeknownst to even Rapunzel and Jack, the sky god Aither and the star goddess Astra were concocting a plan to help the despairing couple. Neither could bear to see such pain emanating from the spirits, especially since their ties to them were stronger than other spirits. After deliberating for moments more, Aither and Astra presented the plan to Rapunzel and Jack, whom thanked them immensely for their kindness. For those who aren't knowledgable of what exactly the plan was, it was this:

Every month or so, Aither would paint the night sky the deepest black possible, causing the moon to be covered and giving Jack enough darkness for one night to meet with Rapunzel. In addition to that, Astra could on occasion "accidentally" block the moon's path with her stars, thereby throwing the moon into the pathway of the sun, and giving the lovers a chance to meet, if only for a fleeting moment. The plans were carried out and are the same reasons why we have new moons and eclipses to this day. The end."

Jamie's mother sighed and chuckled at her fast-asleep son. She kissed him on the forehead, switched off the lights, and was just about to shut his windows when a strange sight happened in the sky: A new moon was out. As she put on the lock, she smiled and hoped that somewhere, somehow those spirits were happy.


	3. Day 3-Make Hay While the Sun Still Shine

Day 3

In the span of five minutes, Jackson Overland Frost managed to break a world record and check his phone a total of thirty times. She wasn't here yet. Why would she be, either? It was two weeks before her move, and she was probably busy cleaning up her room. Leaning on the cafe's brick wall for support (he needed it too), Jack pulled his phone out _again_, muttering to himself,"Should've known-"

"Hey, sorry I'm late!" a sweet voice popped out from around the corner. The owner of said voice sheepishly tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, and, with an abashed smile, apoligized, "I swear, I would've come sooner, but Mother was a bit...testy, again."

Jack hastily put his phone back in his pocket and placed on a mask of a nonchalant coolness. "Ah, don't sweat it Punzie, it's fine. But, I'm not delaying you or anything, am I? You're not busy?"

"Of course not, I always have time for my best friend! C'mon let's go inside."

At their entrance, they were greeted by a strong waft of cinnamon biscuits and a bright beam from their favorite manager, Toothiana. Getting up from her place behind the counter, she said, "Hey guys, the usual?"

"The usual." Jack added in afterthought, "Actually, mind putting some hazelnut in it this time?"

"No problem!" Tooth whistled and relayed their order to a nearby hostess, or "fairy", as she called them.

As Jack and Rapunzel sat down in their regular table, Rapunzel sent him a questioning glance. "Hazelnut? You told me you hated hazelnut, especially in your coffee."

He shrugged, replying,"But you mentioned once that itwas your favorite, and I figured to change it up a bit."

"Oh, well...thank you, Jack." Rapunzel was truly touched that he was able to remember her love for spice, even though her mother could not. (_"Nutmeg, right my flower?"_) Oh, how she was going to miss their talks in the cafe, the all-nighters, the movie marathon sleepovers, and her favorite punching bag when she was nine. Nobody would be able to replace him once she left.

One of Tooth's fairies set down two steaming mugs in front of them and flitted off to wait on another customer. Rapunzel grabbed a cup, carefully sipped, and asked, "So, what's up?"

Jack bit his lip in concentration, his hands twiddling nervously underneath the table. _Don't back down, Frost. Just do it_. He worded his sentence slowly, saying, "Well, I was hoping that you'd help me with English today. Mr. Pitch's been getting on my case about my poetry, and I just wanted you to take a look at this one before I turned it in."

Jack didn't catch the slight fall of her shoulders. He handed her from his undisturbed pocket a sheet of paper folded into quarters. Rapunzel unfolded it and read the poem that took up practically the whole sheet. It read:

_A single beam of_

_Sunlight shines and shows the world_

_Her unique beauty_

_Everywhere she goes_

_Light is brought to even the_

_Deepest of trenches_

_At last, I have seen_

_And have been filled with wonder_

_Hope, Happiness, and_

_Most importantly_

_She has filled me with pure love_

_That can't be stolen_

_But, I am a cloud_

_I will not bring her darkness_

_I will say just this_

_I love_

_You_

Rapunzel wordlessly lifted her eyes up to Jack. He held a pink carnation out to her, his stormy blue eyes flowing with as much uncertainty as hers. Before she could say anything, he confessed,"I know, I know, why did I do it before your move, but hear me out! Rapunzel Corona...I love you. You've been my best friend for God knows how long, and you've lifted me up and actually _noticed_ me for who I am. I know I should've told you before, but I was scared of everything falling apart. Just tell me-"

He was silenced by a firm kiss. The carnation dropped and lay forgotten on the cafe floor. Rapunzel pulled back, olive eyes raw with excitement and fear. Lips pursed into a fallen smile, she said, "I love you too, Jack. But what are we going to do now, since I'll be gone in a few weeks?"

Still dazed from that headspinning kiss, Jack blinked a few times, a smirk crawling on the side of his face. "The way I see it, we have two options: cry and be depressed about that fact, or," A wicked grin was plastered on,"we milk what little time we have together and worry about all that stuff later,"

Their table was cleared faster than you could say 'Poem'.

* * *

_AN:Sorry this is a day late, I had a concert last night and ended up heading out of state right after that! I'll try typing up Day 4 today, but no promises :( Sorry guys!_


	4. Day 4-Vestige

Day 4 Vestige

Rapunzel looked up from her novel at the sound of knocking at her door. She called, "Come in."

The door opened and a perky head popped in. It was Marina-just shy of fifteen, and Rapunzel's own chamber maid. She smiled warmly to her, asking, "Yes Marina, what is it?"

Although she was considerably meeker when Rapunzel first started staying in the castle, Marina had grown accustomed to her lady and the kind words bestowed unto her. She grinned and pulled in a small trolley cart of toiletries, saying, "Evening, Miss. The Master had told me to ready you for dinner tonight. He said to be done before seven, and that you wear your blue gown."

"The blue one? He told you that?" Rapunzel closed her book, a mischievous glint sparkling in her jade eyes. "In that case, I _must_ be dressed in a different gown promptly at seven-thirty."

Ten minutes and a laughing session later, Rapunzel was in the middle of a bath, her chamber maid helping her wash the glossy blonde hair that spilled out of the tub. A pleasant silence washed over servant and guest, until Marina broke it with, "Um, Miss? Would it be appropriate if I inquired about something?"

Rapunzel poured a cup of warm water over her scalp, replying, "Of course it is! I'm all ears."

"Well…" Marina stopped washing her lady's hair. "Why is it that you persist on pestering the Master? Are you not afraid of him lashing out at you like he does with_be_ us servants?"

"To be honest, I was scared a little, at least in the beginning. I remember when he first caught me in taking a few lettuce leaves from his garden. His voice alone was so steely, and when he told me that my options were jail or being captive in his castle, I was afraid for mine and my family's lives! But…I figured that fighting him was better than staying subservient to him. He deserves it too, the way he treats me, you, and everybody who works for him. He can be such an ungrateful jerk!" Rapunzel sighed. "Anyways, pass the soap, if you will."

Once Rapunzel had finished washing up, she asked Marina to put her together in whatever she thought looked best. Moved that her Miss put in so much trust in her judgment, Marina put forth her best concentration and dove in to her challenge. She styled Rapunzel's hair into braids, each of them curving and overlapping the other until every strand was incorporated into a single, graceful French twist. She alternated setting in simple pearl-studded pins and dusty-pink-colored rose clips, until Rapunzel's twist glittered with feminine elegance. After thinking long and hard about a dress, Marina chose to give her a lavender gown that lay in the back of the wardrobe. Its sweetheart neckline, pastel, and off-the-shoulder sleeves suggested playfulness, but the full sweep of the skirt and fitted waist suggested a matured air.

After dabbing on the lightest of perfumes on Rapunzel's neck, Marina led her in front of a mirror, asking hopefully, "Does this please you, Miss?"

Rapunzel gasped and enveloped Marina into a tight hug, happily surprising the fifteen-year-old. "I look absolutely beautiful. Thank you, thank you _very_ much Marina."

The girl blushed profusely and, unable to form a thank you, merely bowed her head with a smile. The clock chimed its half-hour tune and the sound of a plate breaking followed by immense yelling sounded from down the hallway. Both girls giggled, and Rapunzel remarked, "I believe it is time for dinner."

* * *

If looks could kill, then the heavy oak door would be disintegrated by now, courtesy of the acidic glare Jack jabbed at it. He twirled the porcelain teacup in one hand, the free one supporting his glowering face as it leaned over the table. _Be ready by seven o'clock. _That was just one job. _**One **_job! And yet the girl was too incompetent and stubborn to execute even that!

"Women," he spat. He really needed to kick her out. No, not that subservient child who waited on her, but _her_, the reason his frozen heart beat erratically and why he would become bald within the next year. She...she was...

The oak door creaked open. She stood there, decked out in a _lavender_ dress (Another thing wrong; he specifically said blue!), and rivaled his narrowed gaze with an equally steady and cool one. His captive took her place at the opposite end of the table, buttering a bread roll and smiling widely all the while. Now this vixen had the nerve to mock him in his own home?! How dare she?!

"Is something wrong, Jack?" Her musical voice sounded all too innocent.

Jack turned so that she would not see his incensed face and, in a tone that was failing to cover his anger, asked, "No, I'm just curious as to why you chose to arrive more than a half hour late in a gown that was different than what I asked. For someone who has been staying as a guest in my home, I see it as rather ungrateful that-"

He whirled at the sound of glass being slammed on the table. Rapunzel, her butter knife gripped dangerously tight, was not angry, nor upset, nor furious. She was positively livid.

"How dare you," she snarled. "_Guest?_ More like prisoner, especially with how you treat me, not to mention those who take care of all of your selfish needs! And honestly, you're lucky that I don't act worse around you like I should, you dirty, rotten-"

"I'm dirty and rotten?! _Me?!_" Jack threw his head back in incredulous laughter. "Blondie, with your obnoxious behavior and the way you tried stealing from me, I'd say that we're pretty even!"

"I wasn't stealing from you! I would have paid you back, I told you! Besides, if you didn't always keep a high tax on farmer produce, maybe I could have bought some at the village market!" She stood up from her chair, not willing to shout sitting down. "You steal money from your kingdom just like a Viking stealing from a sea-side village!"

_*Let it be noted that at this point, a lanky Viking named Hiccup shot his head up from his dragon wing designs, getting the weird feeling that someone had just insulted his people. _

"Hey, it's not my fault that I keep tax on those kinds of goods! When people like you keep going around and stealing, that money needs to be collected somehow! God, why did you have to take that lettuce in the first place? If you didn't do that, then maybe this whole mess wouldn't need to happen, and I wouldn't be stuck with you!"

"My mother was sick," she retorted defensively. "She was dying, and I needed to have at least a few of those leaves to heal her. Besides, do you think that I _want_ to be stuck in this hellhole with a jerk like you!? God, why do you have to treat people like crap underneath your toes?!"

Indifferent by her coarse language, Jack shot back, "Not my fault nor my problem that not everyone deserves my respect or attention. Everybody who I berate is only one less person I need to care about."

A breathy laugh escaped Rapunzel's lips. "You-you are so _infuriating! _You act like some god whom the universe needs to bow down to, when in reality you're just some cold-hearted prince who doesn't know what love is!"

Memories of simpler times with snowball fights, hot chocolate, and playing with a younger, giggly baby girl pierced his mind. For a fraction of a second, was caught off guard by an uncharacteristic sadness that plagued his stormy, blue-grey eyes. That moment passed, however, and a deep sneer was etched onto his mouth. "Like you aren't loathsome, Sunshine. Quite honestly, if you want anybody to take you seriously, you probably need to stop acting like a stubborn puppy who wants everyone's attention, then goes off to tear up the couch!"

Rapunzel threw her hands up in the air in complete exasperation. "Gah! See, this is exactly why I hate being here! You could be this amazing person who has the ability to make the world a better place, yet you abuse your power to make the world a living hell! Why-why don't you kick me out and throw me in jail?! I'd have a much better time in there than stay one more night with you!"

The words just tumbled out of his mouth. "I bet you would, so then you can start following your whore-of-a-mother's footsteps!"

Oh. Shit.

The air was stilled, as if any movement at all would shatter the glass that was already broken. Jack, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, was shocked that such a phrase could have ever left his own lips. Of course he knew that Rapunzel's mother wasn't _that_, and definitely that Rapunzel wouldn't fall that way either. He was brought up thinking that, no matter what, he could never, would never insult a lady in such a way; if his mother and sister were here, they would have been furious and slapping him. His father would have looked on in disappointment at his son. Yet, he still said it, along with every implication that was entailed. Even if he did not mean to.

His mouth tasted like acid.

He didn't need to look at her tear-stained face or her quivering lips to know that any budding bond between them was decimated. And it was his fault. She promptly left the dining room, but not without spitting harshly, "I was wrong when I thought I saw traces of a monster leaving."

* * *

_AN: Ooohhh, dost mine eyes deceive me? Do I sense the feelings of angst and hurtfulness between this couple? I do! Haha, I hope y'all don't hate me for this, but hey, everything sugary needs some bitterness as a balance, right? Well, hope you guys liked this one!_


	5. Day 5-It Takes Two to Tango

Day 5

I hate her. I absolutely, with every fibre of my being, hate her.

Why did she have to do that to me? Everything? She played with me, toyed with my heart until it was like another broken Happy Meal toy. I hope she's happy with what she did. I know I'm not.

Then again, when did I make _her _happy? Definitely not when we first met. But hey, what else was I supposed to think? At the time, she just seemed like some uber-nice homeschool freak who was _way _too artsy and spent a little bit more time than necessary on her hair, all seven feet of it. Another face in the crowd, and nothing else. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I bumped into her in the hallways one time and just kept walking on, even though I made her drop her art supplies. Wait, no, I did say something to her, if I remember right. _Watch where you're going next time, Blondie_. My fault and I didn't even offer to pick up a paintbrush or two. Man, what a douchebag move.

Okay, okay, that was pretty bad, but I've learned though since then that she's a whole lot more than what she seems. She's beautiful like the sun, inside and out, and probably knows more about me than I do myself. And I've helped her out too! I've made her step out of her shell and explore the world beyond her easel. It wasn't easy, but she's a _lot_ more open than when I first met her. She's changed my world, and I've changed hers, so why would she keep such an important piece of herself away from my reach?! Jesus, was I never that important to her in the first place, or maybe just too stupid to comprehend what she was saying?! God above, I want to punch my bedroom wall now because I'm just so confused and hurt and conflicted and frustrated and **angry**!

I'm scared.

This can't be happening to her, it just can't. What did she ever do to deserve this? Is this some sort of warped justice in God's plans? If he could only...only tell me...why. She's the last person on earth who deserved this kind of punishment. Anybody but her, me especially! I deserve it! Give it to me, I don't care if I die, but let her live instead. Please.

Like I said earlier, I hate her. Rapunzel Corona has leukemia, she didn't tell me, and...I don't know what to do. The only thing I do know is that I'm parked at some side street, head in my hands, and not with my girlfriend whom I should be comforting right now. I'm not next to Rapunzel. And now, I don't hate her. I hate myself.

* * *

_AN: What am I doing with two days in a row of angstyness?! I don't know what I'm doing, but I promise that I'll have sugary sweetness tomorrow, okay? I promise by the River Styx! Mkay, byee!_


	6. Day 6-Safe Haven

Jack gently held his arm-blackened, already, from the bruise that would definitely need to be covered with a longer shirt tomorrow-and did his best to outwardly match his father's glower while inwardly holding back his stinging tears. No, he would not cry. He was a big kid now, and he would _not_ be sniveling like when he was six. His father (that monster did nothing to earn such a title) didn't deserve to see him emotional. But it was hard keeping it back.

"Oh, is the poor baby going to cry now?" For a moment, the sorrow in Pitch's eyes seemed to indicate that he actually cared for his son. Lies. The concerned facade was quickly replaced with a sneer, and a hand raised to deliver another blow to Jack's limp body. "Of course he is. Weak. Just like his mother. A poor excuse of a child, and unworthy to be called my offspring."

The fist rose higher in the air. Jack closed his eyes, ready for the next strike to come.

Luckily enough, Pitch tired of this bout. He merely snatched Jack around to collar and tossed him out in the backyard, as if he were nothing but a used rag doll. "Out of my sight, you worthless speck. Don't expect to come back in until I'm purged of your essence."

With that, the door slammed shut, leaving a seething Jack silently cursing him with every bad word he could think of. Even the F word. He kicked the concrete-like dirt he sat upon and threw a rock all the way across the garden with every ounce of strength he had. By the time he was done, he was tired, sweaty, drained, and the bruise had started to feel sore. Jack slumped on the floor.

What had he ever done to his father to be beaten like this? Hadn't they loved each other when Jack was really little? If he thought about it hard enough, Jack could remember things from once upon a time where his house was full of ice cream smiles, everything smelled like lavender, and so many afternoons were spent finger painting in the sunny kitchen. What happened to stuff like that?

If he thought about it even further, Jack could even remember what his mom looked like. She was a brown-haired lady who smelled like cookies, and his father loved to smile and kiss her. A lot. Sometimes in front of him (Yeck!). Then she left them. Well, at least that's was what he had been told. The last time Jack saw her, she left for the hospital, and she never came back. After that, 'dad' wasn't 'dad' anymore; slowly, he became 'father', and after he found that golden liquid juice thing, he became 'monster'. And Jack hated the monster, couldn't understand why he was living a backwards version of Beauty and the Beast.

Ten minutes passed, and the lights went off in the house, meaning that his father went out for the night, or he went to sleep. Jack sighed; another night not in the house. Oh well, he had lived through this many times to know what to do from here. After making sure the coast was clear, he snaked his way through the garden, in between the loose wooden planks in the fence, and climbed up the trellis of his next door neighbor. After hoisting himself up the last foot or so, he frowned at the fact that Rapunzel decided to close her door tonight.

"Psst, Punzie." He knocked on the window lightly, not wanting to startle her or wake her mother up. Lord knows what Pitch would do to him if her mother woke up and tattled. "Rapunzel, wake up and open the door, preferably before sunrise."

She stirred in her bed and dragged her drowsy eight-year-old self over to unlatch the lock. She yawned, "Staying the night again Jack?"

A half-smile formed. "Yeah, sorry. You mind? Will your mom wake up?"

She shook her head. "Mommy's out tonight, and I'd love some company." A thought crossed her mind, and she asked straightly, "Do you have...?"

Rapunzel motioned to the arm area.

A moment passed before Jack nodded. "Yeah, but it isn't that big this time."

Rapunzel scowled so darkly and fiercely that Jack-her best friend and neighbor for her whole life-had to step back a few. "He shouldn't do that to you," she growled lowly. "If he does that again, I swear, I'm gonna go over there and-"

"Choke him with your hair and say 'You big meanie!'?"

Rapunzel blushed. Darn Jack for figuring out her plans. "No. But he shouldn't do those things. He's a monster!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

Rapunzel's gaze fell an inch. "I just wish you'd tell people about it so that you don't get hurt anymore Jack. It isn't right, and I'm scared for you."

The poignant look stained her face with a despondency so palpable, it could have been wiped up and thrown away. If there was anything Jack hated more than his bruises, it was seeing Rapunzel look so sad, especially if it was related to him. She was supposed to be sunny, yet clouds were blocking her rays. He had to do something to make her smile again, since technically it was his fault.

"Punzie...Hey Rapunzel, don't look like that! C'mon, at least the upside is that it could have been worse! Really, I'm gonna be fine, trust me."

"Gonna be fine until it happens again next week, when you still won't say anything and just get hurt the week after that. Face it Jack, it's not going to get better unless you do something!" She crossed her arms indignantly and huffed, frustrated that Jack was too stubborn to really understand.

He only shrugged and plastered a grin on his face. No matter how much it hurt to fake it. "Maybe it won't get better, maybe it will. But I'll worry about it later, not now. Until then though..." He rolled up his sleeve and shyly pointed to the sensitive, swollen spot. "Mind helping me heal it?"

The corners of her mouth tugged. "Fine."

The next fifteen minutes, Rapunzel ambled back and forth in between her room, the bathroom, and the kitchen to snag a few more cookies. Although she was not certified, the little eight-year-old could work wonders on small cuts or minor injuries without so much as a single sweat drop. It was as if it were her special talent to heal the sick. Who knew, maybe she'd grow up to be a doctor or something. Rapunzel shook these faraway thoughts out of her head, examining with pride at her skills. She smeared Jack's bruise with a soothing cream, wrapped it in a soft gauze, and gave a lollipop to her obedient patient. Man, she was good.

She rolled down Jack's sleeve, hesitated, and rolled it back up. "Um, I forgot one more thing."

"What's that? It looks fine to me."

She could not answer his question, as she was too busy plopping a big, noisy kiss on his wound. Rapunzel beamed after pulling away. "There, _now _it's all better."

Jack could feel his whole face warm uncomfortably. He sputtered, "Wha-what did you...and...and _why did you-"_

Rapunzel silenced him with a finger. "Uh uh uh, no complaints. A booboo doesn't stop hurting until it's kissed all better. Duh!"

He calmed down considerably. "Oh, well...thanks Punzie."

Although Jack would never admit it, he sorta, kinda, almost a _little_ bit, liked it that she kissed his bruise. Sure, it wasn't like it a kiss on the lips (that'd be just too embarrassing and gross), but it was nice. Sweet, even. They shared a warm smile right when the clock down the hall chimed twelve times. Midnight.

Rapunzel yawned like earlier, and turned to Jack. "Time for bed now, I guess. Wanna share the bed again?"

The logical part of him wanted to say no, that big kid boys didn't share beds anymore with girls, but he couldn't stop his heart from saying out loud, "Sure, why not?"

The children climbed into bed, pulled the fluffly blanket so that it kept them warm in the night, and fell asleep, shielded from the bitterness of the world for a few hours and able to dream of a brighter future.


	7. Day 7-Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost

_*Note: There are more sensual themes in this chapter, so if you are offended by this typed of material, you are at least prepared for it :)_

"Where to, Miss?" Jack grinned cheekily from the drivers seat.

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Rapunzel replied with a blissful smile,"I've always wanted to see the lights festival in the city, but Mother never allowed me to go. Too vulgar, she said."

"Well, I can tell you one thing, and that's your mother having her stays laced up a bit too tightly. I've been to plenty of light festivals, and they're hardly 'vulgar'." He climbed over to where she was sitting in the back, one arm sweeping across the air as if to paint a picture, the other lazily hugging her side. "When I went to La Fêtes des lumières, I mean _wow_, everywhere there were candles lighting up the place. The city glowed softly, and for a moment, I was pretty glad that everything seemed warm. I gotta hand it to the French, they throw some awesome parties."

Rapunzel snuggled closer to him and sighed. "I only wish that I could go around seeing something like that. It sounds amazing!"

A confident grin shone incandescently. "I promise you, once we get off this ship, you'll get that opportunity. And a Frost never goes back on his promises."

His grin faltered slightly, melting into a deeply intense line of concentration. This girl, this beautiful girl, stunned him constantly with her hope and pure adoration for him. In all honesty, he was frightened that something so good was happening after all the crap he went through. What had he done to deserve someone who had complete faith that he could do no wrong other than to stop loving her? Nothing, that's what. Especially with her obviously higher position than him in society, being with Rapunzel was a precarious balancing act, trying not to ruin her in any way while also keeping his own emotions at bay.

Did this lovely woman know how much he wanted her right now?

Don't get him wrong, of course he loved her mind and soul first before any other physical attribute. He loved her headstrong resilience to her class by being with him, her ability to carry on an intellectual and witty conversation on something other than fashion, her creativity, her dreams, her kindness, her excitement to see the world beyond a town house. That's why he wanted to be with her in the first place, else she'd be nothing more than another rich girl in first class. She believed in him a hundred times more than everybody he'd ever met, combined. Rapunzel brought him out of his shadows, made him think that he was actually somebody important. She was, in simplest terms, his sunlight. It was only sensible, then, that he would want to be with her body, mind, and soul entirely.

But as much as he could follow his instincts, he would wait for her. Nature had its own schedule on when a flower would or wouldn't blossom, and Jack had no intention of intention of messing up those plans. He was patient person; he wouldn't dare force something that monumental onto any person, especially Rapunzel. It really was okay. He'd be there for her when she wanted to go to the next step.

Still, with her mouth so close he could count the tiniest of freckles on her cheeks, the honey-sweet scent of her locks teasing his nostrils, Rapunzel was making it too damn hard for him to keep control.

"Jack."

He blinked a few times, blushing that he'd been staring at her for too long. "Uh, yeah, what's up?"

"Everything okay? You've been looking tense for a few minutes. Do you want to tell me something?"

Oh, if only she had known. "Yeah, thing is, um...ya see, I just-just...Rapunzel...can I kiss you?" Well, didn't _he_ have a way with words. Jack turned away, embarrassed that his confession to her had some out like that. Gah, he must've sounded so stupid to her! Jack tried again, words still stumbling awkwardly. "That...didn't come out right. Listen, Rapunzel-"

"Jack," she interrupted again with a smile as bright as her nature.

"Yeah?"

"Just shut up and kiss me."

Oh. Hell. Never did he imagine that the girl of his dreams would actually say yes! His ego boosted up higher than its previous level, he swooped forward and gently captured her carnation lips with his own. Jack half-heartedly held back a groan, her kiss so sweet and intoxicating. He felt her tense, probably scared that he was in pain, and inched away from him.

Oh no, it was _not_ going down like that. Jack pushed forward and unintentionally knocked them back, both of them uncaring of their newfound position. Rapunzel felt him starting to move his lips into one long and continuous flow and tried her best to imitate him. Apparently, what she was doing pleased him as she heard Jack make that rumble that for some odd reason excited her. Rapunzel, triumphant that she wasn't completely clueless in this field, found herself curious at what else she could do for him. A low voice in the back of her head egging her on, Rapunzel hesitantly slid her tongue out and traced the area where there lips met. Almost instantly, her lover produced the very same groan , only this time it was louder and more unrestrained, sending strange flutterings to her stomach. Now out of a sense of direction, Rapunzel lay beneath him, allowing Jack to take his turn.

Both Jack's self control and sanity were quickly being silenced by the lust pounding in his eardrums. He slipped his tongue straight into her mouth, exploring the foreign cave, dancing with her soft muscle to a delicious beat of a tango. He broke off, taking time to savor her confused mews, and peppered light pecks down her swan-like neck, smirking that it was he who could make her squirm and yelp so. Everything she did gave him another taste of heaven. His fingers unconsciously felt for the hem of her dress.

He stopped and opened his eyes. Rapunzel laid tangled beneath him, her lips swollen red and her blonde hair wildly out of its braid. Her eyes practically bursted with adoration for him, something that he was afraid to see. Jack's mind chanted in a continuous loop, _She deserves better, she deserves better, she deserves better_. She loved him just as much as he loved her, and he was scared that anything he'd do would just screw things up. Every other woman he'd been with cared nothing about him after he paid, but Rapunzel, her feelings _would_ matter to him after right now. Jack gulped and asked her, "Rapunzel, are you nervous?"

"Yes."

That summed things up quick. "Alright, we can stop here if-"

She silenced him with a kiss. "But I'm ready."

And then the world exploded. His blue eyes as wide as a carp out of water, he sputtered, "Rapunzel, you-you _do _know what you just said, right? And are you sure you're okay with that?"

She nodded and replied with a frank smile, "Jack, I'm so tired of everyone in my life trying to tell me what I can or can't do. Right now, I'm doing things for myself, and I don't care at all of what other people would think. I told you I'm nervous...but I'm ready. I know and trust with all of my heart that I love you, and that you love me too, so nobody else matters."

He traced her cheek with his thumb. "I love you too Rapunzel. I really do."

They joined as one heart.

Twenty minutes later, the two lovers laid together in the backseat, exhausted, yet basking in the afterglow. Rapunzel glanced up at Jack, smiled, and brushed aside a strand of sweat-dappled, tree bark hair. "You're trembling," she noted.

He shrugged it off, saying, "I'll be okay", and captured her lips again.

* * *

The Carpathia was incredibly different than the Titanic. Aside from the obvious size difference, the atmosphere was not tinged in a carefree mirth like the Titanic was. It was somber, confused, tired, and filled with the constant wails of a mother or child.

Rapunzel wasn't an idiot. She knew that Jack, the only person Rapunzel knew she actually loved, wasn't coming back, lost forever to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Her breath hitched in her throat. God above, how he looked frozen as he clung to the board he forced her to climb on. His hair was almost crusted entirely with frost, and his normally tanned skin was turned a deathly shade of white. She shut her eyes, trying to wipe that memory from her mind. Jack would have wanted her to move on and remember him like he was in the cargo hold, not like a ghost violently shrugging off the frostbite. Secretly, though, Rapunzel knew that the sight of him would follow her to her grave.

Jack saved her, and would never again see the sun.

A tear ran down her cheek.

Jack would not be gone in vain. She would start a new life. She would go to that lights festival, study to a university, experience life in different countries, see the world like he would have wanted her to. Rapunzel would not live her life pained by the fact that he could never hold her again. He would always be with her, right in her heart whenever she needed him.

The port of New York came into view. She leaned against the railings and stared aimlessly at the bright, neon lights and advertisements saying to "_Buy So-and-So's iced-cold Cola. It'll keep you refreshed and cool during the summer."_

A man with a clipboard came her way. Voice calm so as to not startle her, the man asked, "May I get your name, ma'am?"

Her eyes didn't leave the city lights. She replied,"My name's Rapunzel. Rapunzel Frost."

* * *

_AN: Don't kill me. *dodges a knife* I know that I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date! Jackunzel week ended almost a week ago, I missed that last frikin day! :( seriously, you don't know how much it pained me to have to put off updating, but with all the frikin finals and AP tests coming up, along with applications for next school year and commencement band for graduation, I'm just kind busy, so I hope you all understand. Besides, I made this last one with an at least okay dash of spice in it, yeah? Did that kinda make up for the lateness? *gets splattered with a tomato* Okay, I get it. Anyways, hope you guys had an awesome Jackunzel week, and hopefully there's one next year that even more people can join. Bye guys, and expect more updates within the next few weeks! _


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